Hello Petrolheads!   The next lines regard the car I have been daily driving for the last four months: Audi’s previous generation S3 Limousine. Having regularly driven the pre-facelift version with some frequency, and never having fallen in love with it – blame a lack of soul – wasn’t expecting much from the mild makeover. Yet, it reminds me of Merc’s facelift of its SLK R170: appearances can be deeply underwhelming! The 8V Generation was first released back in 2012, then only as a three-door hatchback, and only two years later the full range was available in the market, with the arrival of the Cabrio version complementing the three-door hatchback, five-door estate and this four-door Limousine. Being one of the key models in Audi’s range, the design was an evolution of the predecessor’s: understated, technological and very elegant – a true future classic. Audi didn’t feel like changing a proven formula, and that was the best option in my opinion (as the fussy latest-generat...

 Hello Petrolheads!   Today in focus we have the latest-generation Mazda MX5, aka Miata, in its top version. This generation MX5, internally-known as ND, has been on sale since 2015, and it marked an important turn in the life of the most popular sports car of them all: it was significantly smaller and lighter than its predecessor (NC), with the aim to return as close as possible to the original receipt, first introduced in 1989. 2018 saw some modifications to the range, but mostly technical - as far as I could tell, the only exterior panel which has been changed is the bootlid, and even that only for units featuring a rearview-camera. The biggest update was, by far and away, the introduction of a heavily reworked 2-litre engine, much similar in character to the 1.5-litre which has been on sale since market introduction (this received detail tweaks only). The driven car had this engine option, in combination with the sweetest 6-speed manual gearbox I know. The first ...

  Hello Petrolheads!   In the last post , I introduced you the Mercedes-Benz CL, generation C215 (1999-2006). The reason being, back in 2017, I got myself one such example, powered by AMG’s superlative 5,5-litre, supercharged V8.   Being a fan of the exquisite design since day one, this is one of those cars which, upon market introduction, for the vast majority of teenagers (myself included), goes into dreamland as fast as it accelerates to one hundred. Or, at best, into the bedroom wall… in the form of a poster. Eighteen years later, when the opportunity to acquire and enjoy one arose, it felt weird, actually. What about test-driving and actually buying it? Apprehension was, definitely, the strongest feeling. If you find yourself in the same situation, thinking whether or not you should play such a high card, I can’t urge you enough: do it! If you do your homework and find The One, I promise you, it will be a very special moment in your life! In this case we are ...

Hello Petrolheads! Soon, I will be writing about my 2003 Merc CL 55, but because this is a truly special car, will write about its context beforehand. This generation CL, internally known as the C215, was launched in 1999, as the coupé version of the, in 1998 new, W220 S-Class. Because the main premises when developing the W220 were to reduce the… excesses, so to speak, of its W140 predecessor – I actually reckon the W140 to be Daimler’s peak – the main requisites were to add lightness, not only literally, but especially to the overall image, which also meant reducing the dimensions a bit. That, actually, was a good thing.   To do so, and in spite of a lot of new added technology – which also adds weight – Daimler went exploring alternative materials for the body-in-white, namely, extensive use of aluminium and also some bits of magnesium and plastic. The CL, being based on the S, went down the very same approach: its platform was still made out of steel, but the rest was...